Description

The mundane rarely survives, and this is surely the case for these once-common Chinese hats. If you would walk through Beijing about 100-150 years ago, you would find almost every man wearing one, and likewise, many an old martial arts masters were photographed wearing one. Tong Zhongyi, Yang Luchan, Zhang Qinlin, etc.

This example

A fine quality velvet Beijing style hat, with red lining and red knot on top. This piece is extra charming because it has a large label inside that provides a lot of context:

Transcription and translations:

柱記宸安帽局
Zhù jì chén ān mào jú
Zhu brand palace security hat office.

鹰立球商標
Yīng lì qiú shāngbiāo
Eagle Ball Trademark

定做各界制
Dìngzuò gèjiè zhì
Customized for all walks of life

帽紗呢絨緞
Mào shā ní róngduàn
Caps of wool satin

京式小㡌特
Jīng shì xiǎo mào tè
Beijing style caps

加此内栗秀
Jiā cǐ nèi lì xiù

記主人饉白
Jì zhǔrén jǐn bái

開設文廟街
Kāishè wénmiào jiē
Opened on Confucian Temple Street

訂價元
Dìng jià yuán
Pricing in yuan

Dating

The crossed flags behind the eagle logo on the label suggest it is from the Republican period, under Kuomintang rule. Such flags first appeared in 1895 and were used by the Revive China Society, but it wasn't adopted as a national flag until 1928. It was abolished on the mainland in 1949 when Mao's Chinese Communist Party took over.